As the Undertaker enters WWE Hall of Fame, Middle East fans pay tribute to ‘the Phenom’

1 / 8
The real Undertaker famously defeated his impersonator during a head-to-head at the SummerSlam of August 1994. (Supplied )
Short Url
Updated 01 April 2022
Follow

As the Undertaker enters WWE Hall of Fame, Middle East fans pay tribute to ‘the Phenom’

  • Mark Calaway is one of the most recognized superstars in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment
  • Saudis who grew up watching “the Deadman” in action on TV are among the Undertaker’s biggest fans

RIYADH: World Wrestling Entertainment superstar the Undertaker will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 1 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, as part of WrestleMania Week, in a ceremony that will be streamed live worldwide.

Mark Calaway, better known to fans by his ring name the Undertaker, is one of the most recognized superstars in the history of WWE and a pop culture icon, having made his WWE debut at the 1990 Survivor Series as the mystery partner for WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Team.

“I remember I was 11 when I watched him debut at Survivor Series in 1990,” Sultan Alobaid, a Saudi media professional, told Arab News, echoing the sentiments of many Saudi millennials who grew up watching “the Deadman” on their TV screens.

The man who earned the moniker “the Phenom” went on to hold nearly every major championship in WWE, and has competed in some of its most memorable matches during his illustrious 30-year career.

A year into his journey with the promotion, he defeated the legendary Hulk Hogan to win his first (what was then) WWF Championship at the 1991 Survivor Series, and became the youngest ever champion at that time. 

The Undertaker has established a historic 21-year undefeated streak at WrestleMania that is yet to be broken. Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition recognized him as having the most consecutive victories at WrestleMania in 2016.




Triple H, left, fights with The Undertaker. (Supplied)

“I remember every year I watched WrestleMania just to see who the Undertaker was going to beat,” Ahmed Al-Jassim, a Saudi cellphone shop owner, told Arab News. “It started with Jimmy Snuka and we saw it extend to other legends like King Kong Bundy, Triple H, Kane, and Shawn Michaels.”

The Undertaker’s fights with Shawn Michaels and Triple H are considered among the best in the history of WWE’s biggest marquee event.

Recalling the time when Brian Lee stepped in as an Undertaker impersonator for several weeks in 1994, one Saudi WWE fan said: “I still remember the two Undertakers incident. Of course, at the time, there was no internet or satellite television, so I was following the build-up of excitement through newspaper and magazine articles over weeks. All that my friends and I would wonder was if this was true, and whether WWE would actually pull off two identical wrestlers or would use special effects.”




The real Undertaker famously defeated his impersonator during a head-to-head at the SummerSlam of August 1994. (Supplied )

The Saudi fan, now in his forties, added: “I remember rushing to the video store and back home when I heard that SummerSlam video had been released and there it was: Undertaker Vs Undertaker, identical in their looks and even their moves. It was sports entertainment history in the making and a truly memorable moment.”

The real Undertaker famously defeated his impersonator during a head-to-head at the SummerSlam of August 1994.

FASTFACT

Did you know that, for a short period of time in 1994, there were two Undertakers? This happened when the real Undertaker was away on his break. The WWE officials introduced Brian Lee to impersonate the Undertaker. Brian looked just like the real Undertaker with wet, long hair and sinister looks.

“The Undertaker was a big part of all of our childhoods,” Tamaraah Al-Gabaani, a Saudi Arabia-based fashion influencer, told Arab News. Recalling the ‘fake’ Undertaker episode, she said: “It obviously didn’t sit well with me as a loyal fan.”

Throughout his career, the Undertaker was involved in many first-of-a-kind matches, a notable one being against Mankind in the first Boiler Room Brawl at SummerSlam 1996. Memorably, as the name suggests, the two wrestling legends spent 20 minutes brawling in the Cleveland Gund Arena’s boiler room.

The Undertaker took his rivalry with Mankind to a new level with another unprecedented specialty match with the main event of In Your House: Buried Alive. 




The Undertaker of younger days. (Supplied)

At the Badd Blood event in 1997, the Undertaker challenged Shawn Michaels to a first-ever Hell in a Cell match, which would become a mainstay for WWE.

“Well, you know, you have to prepare mentally,” the Undertaker told Arab News in a 2020 interview, looking back at these career highlights.

“When you’re thinking about your match, you have to look at everything that you’ve done, that led up to that particular match, because obviously if you’re going to have a Buried Alive match, there’s had to have been some serious things happen along the way to get to the point where you want to bury somebody alive.




The Undertaker, left, and Shawn Michaels. (Supplied)

The Undertaker and Mankind’s macabre feud was revived in 1998, taken to a graphic new height, and decisively resolved when they faced each other in a Hell in a Cell match at King of the Ring.

“You know, if there’s a lot of those matches like Buried Alive and Hell in a Cell, and the Inferno match, that one was interesting. There wasn’t any rehearsing anything on that one, believe me, that was just out there doing it and hoping that I wasn’t one that got caught on fire. As morbid as that sounds, I guess it fits with what I do.”

The match became one of the most famous in professional wrestling history when the Undertaker threw Mankind off the roof of the 4.9-meter cell onto a broadcast table below.

“I blame the Undertaker for the times I got in trouble for copying his wrestling moves on my friends and brothers,” Joel Huffman, an American expat in Saudi Arabia and a co-founder of Arabius, told Arab News.




Posing with his champion's belt. (Supplied)

Indeed, the Undertaker has been responsible for some of the most theatrical moments in WWE history. At the 1992 Summer Slam, held for the first and only time out of the US at London’s Wembley Stadium, he entered the arena riding on the back of a hearse.

At the 2005 Survivor Series, druids delivered a casket that was struck by lightning and went up in flames. The Undertaker then burst from the flaming casket in a rage and brutalized an entire ring full of superstars as a message to his next victim Randy Orton.

In 2011, promotional videos aired showing the Undertaker entering and standing in a Western-style old house on a rainy desert. Each promo ended with the date 2–21–11 being “burned into” the screen.

 

 

On that year’s Feb. 21 edition of Raw, the Undertaker returned. But before he could speak, Triple H also returned and challenged him to a confrontation at WrestleMania XXVII, which was later made under no-holds-barred rules. The Undertaker won, but he had to be carried away from the ring on a stretcher.

“I thank him for his example of hard work and dedication throughout his legendary 30-year career and well-deserved place in the Hall of Fame among the greatest sports entertainment icons in history,” said Huffman.

The Undertaker featured in the lineup of wrestling giants who participated in Saudi Arabia’s first televised WWE event in April 2018, where 60,000 fans packed out the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah.

The event was the first in a 10-year partnership between WWE and the Saudi General Sports Authority in support of Saudi Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s social and economic reform agenda.

WWE announced on Nov. 4, 2019, that it had expanded its partnership with the Kingdom until 2027, under which it would hold two large-scale events in the country per year.

Saudi Arabia first announced WWE would be holding shows in the Kingdom in Dec. 2013, with the first house shows taking place at Riyadh’s Green Halls Stadium in April 2014.

“I’m glad WWE has come to Saudi Arabia now,” Atallah Al-Ghamdi, a Saudi who works in transportation logistics, told Arab News.




The Undertaker at Wrestlemania with John Cena. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)

“My favorite time was when the Undertaker and Goldberg wrestled. It was truly great to see these two legends in person. I grew up watching both,” he added, referring to the 2019 Super ShowDown in Jeddah.

On Nov. 22, 2020, exactly 30 years after making his ring debut, the Undertaker announced his retirement to a crowdless arena in Orlando, Florida — emptied due to that year’s COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

The Undertaker’s WWE Hall of Fame induction, therefore, marks an ideal opportunity to give “the Phenom” the dramatic send-off he deserves.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be 41 when he retired,” said Saudi fan Alobaid, reflecting on his hero’s monumental life in the ring.

“What a career! Forever the Undertaker.”


Review: ‘Holes’ is a prime example of quiet, impactful storytelling

Updated 30 June 2025
Follow

Review: ‘Holes’ is a prime example of quiet, impactful storytelling

DHAHRAN: Saudi film “Holes” continues to make its mark with screenings at film festivals around the world. The quietly arresting drama follows Rakan, a man in his mid-40s, as he returns to his hometown to be with his wife, Reem. He struggles to re-enter a society that no longer trusts him — and one that he also does not fit into.

The film starts with a literal clock — which we don’t see — persistently ticking in the otherwise vacant interior of a residence, the loud but constant sound in the midst of silence sets the tone.

With a fiery but contained temper, eyes welling with sadness, we find out that Rakan is prone to fits of rage. He is portrayed as only having a soft spot for his aging mother and his wife, all while dodging men from his past who haunt him.

The film doesn’t linger on the specifics — there are many gaping holes in the story. Instead, it centers on how the weight of reputation, judgment and suffocating silence shapes a person trying to begin again.

It stars Mariam Abdulrahman and Meshal Almutairi and was produced by Ayman Alnaqeeb and Abdulrahman Altikhais.

Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan, the director of “Holes,” is an independent Saudi writer and filmmaker. He co-founded Talashi Films in 2008 and has directed several shorts and a TV series.

Aldhabaan‘s debut feature film, “Last Visit” (2019), gained international recognition, becoming the first Arab film selected for the East of the West Competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. It also earned the Jury Award at the Marrakech International Film Festival.

With “Holes,” Aldhabaan continues his signature style of quiet, impactful storytelling marked by restraint and emotional depth.

In “Holes,” Aldhabaan crafts a slow, thoughtful narrative. Rather than relying on heavy dialogue or exposition, the film builds its emotional landscape through atmosphere — solitary walks at night, avoiding tiny puddles in the alleyways, prolonged pauses and distant glances — to explore isolation and inner conflict. The pacing may feel slow to some, but it seems deliberate — offering space for reflection and tension to build.

A persistent image in the film is a literal hole in the wall of Rakan and Reem’s new home. It is never ignored but also never fixed, and that choice is telling. At one point, it gushes water as Reem tries to stuff pretty-colored cloths to stop it — to no avail. It floods their bedroom and the couple tries to contain it together.

The hole becomes a powerful metaphor representing wounds that haven’t healed, things left unresolved, and the parts of a life that remain open to scrutiny or misunderstanding. It defines the space around it — the hole is a character all its own.


Palestinian solidarity takes center stage at Glastonbury

Updated 29 June 2025
Follow

Palestinian solidarity takes center stage at Glastonbury

DUBAI: Glastonbury Festival 2025 is making headlines not just for its music, but for the powerful pro-Palestinian messages echoing across its stages and crowds.

Irish rap group Kneecap drew one of the festival’s largest crowds at the West Holts Stage. Dozens of Palestinian flags flew in the crowd as the show opened with an audio montage of news clips referring to the band’s critics and legal woes.

Mo Chara of Irish rap group Kneecap wearing a keffiyeh at Glastonbury festival. (AFP)

Between high-energy numbers that had fans forming a large mosh pit, the band members — sporting keffiyehs — led the audience in chants of “Free Palestine” and “Free Mo Chara.” They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury.

One member wore a T-shirt emblazoned with “We Are All Palestine Action,” referencing the direct-action network that targets arms factories supplying Israel.

Earlier that day, punk duo Bob Vylan also stirred controversy with a performance that included the chant “Death to the IDF.” The statement has prompted a police investigation and sparked a broader debate over the limits of free speech in live performance.

Across the festival, Palestinian flags were visible in every direction — raised by artists, waved in the crowd, and printed on T-shirts and posters. Activist installations, including a projection mapping Gaza’s destruction, drew foot traffic near the Apocalypse Museum area, while several artists circulated an open letter calling for an immediate ceasefire.


REVIEW: ‘The Bear’ season four is a triumphant return to form

Updated 28 June 2025
Follow

REVIEW: ‘The Bear’ season four is a triumphant return to form

DUBAI: We should’ve had more faith. Fears (including from this reviewer) that “The Bear” was floundering after the glacial pace of its third season can now be put to bed. Season four is pretty much everything fans of the show could’ve wanted: tense, dramatic, joyous, thought-provoking, funny and deeply moving. And with plenty of further proof that this might be the most talented ensemble cast currently on our screens.

Season three ended with the fate of the titular restaurant in the balance as the team — led by star chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), his mentee Syd Adamu (Ayo Edebiri), maître d’hôtel Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and business manager Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto (Abby Elliott) — awaited a make-or-break review in the Chicago Tribune. That’s quickly resolved: Despite some highly positive comments, the review is ultimately a dud — thanks largely to Carmy’s stubborn insistence on changing the menu daily; a choice that isn’t just leading to inconsistent performance from his team, but in heavy hits to the budget as they can’t bulk buy from suppliers.

So, that old enemy time takes center stage, as financial backer Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) and his ruthless cost-cutting friend The Computer install a countdown clock in the kitchen, giving the team 1,440 hours to save itself. That clock hits zero in the excellent final episode.

In between times, the development of several characters’ back stories that contributed to the feeling of aimlessness last year starts to pay off here, as much of the action is taken out of the kitchen and into a deeper exploration of what the show is really about: family — the ones we’re born into, the ones we choose, and the ones that choose us. Once again, there’s a Berzatto (extended) family get-together at the season’s heart in a one-hour episode set at Richie’s ex-wife’s wedding. The stage is set for another dysfunctional social disaster. Instead, we get something altogether warmer but equally dramatic. It’s exceptional television.

At the heart of it all is the characters’ continued quest for self-improvement — from Tina’s attempts to improve her cooking speed, through Syd’s efforts to silence her self-doubt, to Carmy’s endeavors to allow emotional connections into his life and stop self-sabotaging.

This season may still be a little too slow for those pining for the claustrophobic hyperactivity of season one, but the creators have found a sweet spot here between that and the stagnation of season three. “The Bear” is back.


Roll the dice: Monopoly Riyadh set to hit shelves this September

Updated 29 June 2025
Follow

Roll the dice: Monopoly Riyadh set to hit shelves this September

  • New version of the game to feature Riyadh and famous institutions and landmarks, new and old
  • Monopoly is the best-selling international board game in history, Guinness World Records says

RIYADH: The launch of a Riyadh edition of the iconic Monopoly board game was announced on Thursday at a preview event that even feature an appearance by the game’s mascot, Mr. Monopoly.

The new version of the game, which will be on sale in September, was created, according to a statement, to celebrate “the rich heritage and modern transformation” of the Kingdom’s capital and features locations including the King Abdullah Financial District, Saudia Airlines, Souk Al-Zal, the Saudi Cup, the Diplomatic Quarter, Tamimi Markets, Jazean coffeeshop, Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah, Olaya Street, and King Fahd Road. 

“We strive to include both the traditional and the modern in terms of landmarks and to create a story. So as you’re going through the Monopoly board, you are learning about, and getting insight into, the city of Riyadh, and you’re passing roads that most real residents would pass by on a day-to-day or weekly basis,” Hamad Alowaishiq, founder and chairman of official partner the Saudi Youth Society (SYS), which acted as a cultural advisor for the game’s makers, told Arab News. 

Hamad Alowaishiq, Founder and Chairman of the Saudi Youth Society (SYS), recieving a certificate of appreciation at the launch event on Thursday. (AN Photo by Huda Bashatah)

“It’s a responsibility and a pleasure to be representing Riyadh on such a platform. And with that responsibility, we have been dedicated to delivering the identity and culture of Riyadh,” he added. 

According to Guinness World Records, Monopoly is the best-selling board game in history, with more than 275 million units sold worldwide over the past 90 years. 

“There’s something really interesting about seeing our city culturally represented within an international brand,” Princess Nourah Al-Faisal, vice-chairman of SYS, told Arab News. “It says a lot about how far we’ve come and how important our market and our community has become on the international scale that Monopoly would come and do this—and quite right too.” 

“I remember playing this game when I was young with my grandfather and family,” Liam Johnson, the racecourse director of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Cup, told Arab News, adding that he believed the Saudi Cup’s profile would be raised globally by being featured in an edition of a game that “cuts through the different audiences.”

Liam Johnson, the Racecourse Director of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia/The Saudi Cup. (AN Photo by Huda Bashatah)

Diriyah has three places on the board: Wadi Hanifah, Zallal, and Al-Bujairi Terrace — all of which have become staples in Riyadh’s events and hospitality sectors. 

“As the birthplace of the Kingdom and its significance to the country, to be able to bring that legacy and that heritage onto the board is a true honor,” Nicola Cope, executive director of brand marketing at Diriyah, told Arab News. 

The Ritz-Carlton’s Mazen Allam said: “Over the years, we’ve been privileged to host moments that actually matter, from royal visits, world summits, weddings, quiet weekends, all woven under the fabric of this city. Now, with Monopoly, we get to join families and communities across generations. And the fact that we can create joyful memories that extend beyond our walls is something very special.”

KAFD, home to 95 interconnected buildings, where more than 20,000 people work — not including the thousands of daily visitors and residents, is a pivotal inclusion on the board. Mazroua Al-Mazroua, KAFD’s chief marketing and experience officer, told Arab News: “We all grew up playing Monopoly. We understand the game — it’s strategic, competitive, and centered around real estate. Today, KAFD reflects those same qualities. It’s not just an iconic business district; it’s Saudi Arabia’s first vertical urban city and a dynamic lifestyle destination.

“It only makes sense for KAFD to be featured in the Monopoly Riyadh Edition — a perfect match between a game of strategy and a district that lives and breathes it every day.”


 


REVIEW: ‘F1: The Movie’ — high-octane entertainment and old-school charm

Updated 26 June 2025
Follow

REVIEW: ‘F1: The Movie’ — high-octane entertainment and old-school charm

DUBAI: There’s a moment in “F1: The Movie,” where you’ll feel like you're flying, all while strapped into a tiny metal box hurtling at a speed you can't comprehend. This is when you realize this isn’t just another sports drama; it’s a sleek love letter to Formula 1, anchored by Brad Pitt’s enduring star power and a surprisingly effective dynamic with relative newcomer Damson Idris.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by FORMULA 1 (@f1)

Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a grizzled former driver lured back to the thrills of the pit lane for one last go. He’s all swagger and scars, but yes, he’s still got it. Pitt’s presence brings gravitas to a film that flirts with the edges of cheesiness but never forgets its emotional core. Whether he’s behind the wheel or delivering motivational growls in the garage, he sells it — and then some.

Opposite him is Idris as Joshua Pearce, a rising star struggling to reconcile his love for the sport with the noise that comes with the fame and money, who becomes Sonny’s reluctant protege. Idris brings a fresh, fiery intensity that balances Pitt’s seasoned cool. The strained mentor-mentee trope has been done to death, but it’s portrayed with sincerity and the right amount of tension here.

Additionally, Kerry Condon delivers a sharp, emotionally solid performance as the team’s no-nonsense engineer, anchoring the high-octane chaos with quiet authority. Her scenes with Pitt crackle with wit and chemistry, and deliver some of the bigger laughs.

Director Joseph Kosinski (“Top Gun: Maverick”) brings his signature high-octane style to the film, especially the race sequences. The sound design is impeccable, the cinematography breathtaking. And composer Hans Zimmer's layered, gorgeously synth-drenched background score goes well with a soundtrack that thumps out rock one minute and smooth R'n'B next.

The film builds toward a final showdown in Abu Dhabi, and while the climax is predictable, it’s executed with such unapologetic flair that you can’t help but cheer. The Yas Marina circuit has never looked more cinematic — it’s the perfect backdrop for a finish that’s equal parts cheesy and thrilling.

“F1” isn’t rewriting the sports-movie playbook, but it really doesn’t need to. It’s crowd-pleasing, adrenaline-fueled, masterfully executed entertainment with more than enough heart to keep it grounded.